Milena Bates (MN LEND 2021-22), co-founder of the Minnesota Autistic Alliance, is recruiting self-advocates for new projects supported by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Cultivate, a 10-hour online self-advocacy course covering how to identify needs, navigate barriers, and understand intersectionality (among other topics), begins August 23. It is designed for and by neurodivergent self-advocates. Lattice is a partnering program that will connect a team of three partners best suited to the support needs of a self-advocate. The group also is recruiting writers for an accessible, digital resource database.

Wyoming Institute for Disabilities speech-language pathologist has won the Bright Star Award for Distinguished Educators, presented by the Wyoming Governor's Council on Developmental Disability.

The NH-ME LEND Program celebrated its 30th anniversary by creating a 7-minute captioned video that features LEND trainees, alumni, and staff reflecting on what LEND means to them and the impact it has had on their lives. The video was produced by the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability/UCED.

The Maine LEND graduated 12 Trainees from the program in May 2022. As part of demonstrations of Maternal and Child Health Competencies and LEND tenets, the Trainees each participated in an elective project that was presented at the end of April.

Louisiana's UCEDD, LSUHSC Human Development Center, is proud to see Louisiana LEND scholars receive honors from the LSU Health Sciences Center School of Allied Health Professions as they completed their respective programs on May 19th.

This year, 27 trainees completed the Iowa Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (Iowa LEND) program. Their graduation ceremony was held on May 5, two days after they had presented at the third annual virtual Iowa LEND Research Poster Symposium. As in previous years, the Symposium provided an impressive display of the talent, hard work and dedication of these emerging leaders.

From developing more inclusive 4-H programs to identifying best practices in teaching medical and dental students about intellectual and developmental disabilities, the 2021-22 MN LEND fellows made significant contributions. On May 19, the program celebrated their accomplishments.

Nathaniel Livernois '22, has received a prestigious fellowship from the Self Advocates Becoming Empowered and ACL's Administration on Disabilities. The fellowship provides full funding for six self-advocates to carry out independently designed self-advocacy leadership and policy-related projects with host organizations.

Wisconsin's Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (WI LEND) program is proud to celebrate the tenth anniversary of graduating disability advocates as LEND trainees! WI LEND offers interdisciplinary and leadership training to over 30 trainees a year across more than a dozen disciplines, including disability advocates (persons with a developmental disability) and family (family members of a person with a developmental disability).

We are pleased to announce recruitment for the 2022-2023 AUCD Council Trainee Representatives! This is an exciting year-long leadership opportunity for current trainees to learn about AUCD, connect with established professionals, and engage in activities on a national level.